Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) surveillance is conducted by the State Departments of Agriculture in conjunction with USDA - APHIS - Veterinary Services. Veterinary practitioners examine all animals involved in shows, exhibitions, races, and interstate or international movement.

Disease Information

Vesicular stomatitis is a viral disease which primarily affects horses, cattle, and swine. The agent that causes vesicular stomatitis, VSV, has a wide host range and can occasionally infect sheep and goats. In affected livestock, VSV causes blister-like lesions to form in the mouth and on the dental pad, tongue, lips, nostrils, hooves, and teats. These blisters swell and break, leaving raw tissue that is so painful that infected animals generally refuse to eat and drink and show signs of lameness. Severe weight loss usually follows, and in dairy cows a severe drop in milk production commonly occurs. Affected dairy cattle can appear to be normal and will continue to eat about half of their feed intake.